There are many think tanks organising events and drafting white papers to inspire policymakers. Most get their financing from industries, and to a lesser degree from governments and the EU.

But these semi-academic organisations often have questionable ways of managing their affairs. They organise events and will give people speaking slots, often against payment – direct or indirect. At best, many of the think tanks are consciously ‘under critical’ of the EU and its policies. At worst they are academics for hire – who will lend credibility to the highest bidder. There are over 30 think tanks in Brussels. Here are three of the largest. 

The European Policy Centre (EPC) is a large and unexciting organisation that produces realms of lengthy reports few people read. Its annual budget is over €2 million, and it gets operating money from the EU budget under the ‘Europe for Citizens’ programme. EPC goes out of its way to say the money does not in affect its independence – usually a good indication it does. On its site it claims that it is an ‘independent’ and ‘at the cutting edge’. Sadly, most people think it is neither.

Notre Europe is Jacques Delors’ Paris-based think-tank. It basically comes up with ideas to further the goal ‘an ever-closer union’. Notre Europe has a €2 million+ annual budget; about €1.4 million of which is paid by the Commission. What else would one expect for the personal think tank of the former President of the Commission? Most of its reports tow the Commission line and rarely does it utter a critical note.

The Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS)has a reputation of taking money from a wide range of organisations. Just under a third of its funding comes from government sources – mostly the European Commission and other EU institutions. In Brussels it is said that CEPS will promote what or whoever pays enough. CEPS was paid by the European Parliament to draft two reports on EU communications and information policies. As a major benefactor of EU funding, it is not surprising one of their recommendations was that ‘…additional funds should be made available’ for EU communications.